Farm Director, KC Sheperd, is visiting with the Oklahoma Rural Development State Director, Kenneth Corn, about the Rural Energy for American Program and how it can provide funding for rural small business owners and agricultural producers with projects for renewable energy systems or to make energy efficiency improvements.
“This is a historical time that we have had this type of money to invest in rural businesses and rural ag producers across the state, and the Biden-Harris Administration has really been putting their money where their mouth is in order to try to support things that are both positive for the environment and positive for our local businesses and ag producers,” Corn said.
Corn said the Rural Energy for American Program offers those who are eligible for the program the opportunity to receive 40 percent of a project paid for with grant money from USDA Rural Development for energy efficiencies in their businesses, or on the farm with energy efficiencies or renewables.
“If you are choosing to do energy efficiencies, it is 40 percent of the project up to $500,000,” Corn said. “So, if you have a project that costs more than a million dollars, we can do 40 percent up to the $500,000.”
On renewables, Corn said 40 percent up to one million dollars can be granted.
“The key to it is, you have to make sure you are a small business in a rural community or an ag producer, and that you have an energy audit that says those things would, in fact, help you with your energy consumption and lower your cost,” Corn said.
Corn provided an example of how these funds can be used in a small grocery store or convenience store scenario.
“Those folks could maybe need to replace the refrigeration units in their stores, so they could actually show us that they need to replace those, and it is going to save them money and energy consumption, and 40 percent of that could be paid for,” Corn said.
Even a community car dealer could benefit from the REAP program, Corn said, with a project such as replacing the lights in their lots or the shops by changing them to LED lights.
“As long as the energy audit comes back and says those things should be done, and it will allow them to save cost in producer energy footprint, it will qualify,” Corn said.
Ag producers in the eastern part of the state, Corn said, have been granted funds for projects such as replacing fans in poultry houses that were more energy efficient.
“We have added solar panels to different parts of production on farms,” Corn said. “There is a number of things that can be done.”
For those who may have questions about the REAP program, Corn said they can contact the USDA Rural Development Office in Stillwater, Oklahoma, or email okenergy@usda.gov .
To learn more, visit https://www.rd.usda.gov/ok
Biden-Harris Administration Delivers on its Promises to Invest in Rural Oklahoma
Ahead of the 2023 State of the Union address, U.S. Department of Agriculture Rural Development Oklahoma State Director, Kenneth Corn, today highlighted the ways the Biden-Harris Administration continues to deliver on its promises to build a better America and rebuild the backbone of the country, the middle class. Read the full press release below:
“Two years ago, President Biden made a promise to rebuild rural America and grow our economy,” Corn said. “The investments the Administration has made in Oklahoma proves that the President has kept that promise, as we grow Oklahoma from the bottom-up and the middle out. I look forward to the next two years with the leadership of the Biden-Harris Administration to transform our economy and create tangible prosperity for our families, communities, and tribal nations in Oklahoma.”
Here is a look at USDA Rural Development’s actions during the last two years of the Administration to rebuild Oklahoma’s economy and rural communities, minimize impacts of climate change, create good-paying jobs for American workers.
- More than $297 million in investing in growing Oklahoma Businesses
- More than $2.1 million in securing a better future for Oklahoma Agriculture Producers with the Value-Added Producer Grant
- Securing Oklahoma’s future in combating climate change by investing more than $1.7 million in energy efficiency improvements and renewable energy
- Provided safe and secure housing for more than 4,900 rural families
- Upgraded and prevented failure of rural water systems across Oklahoma by investing more than $142 million
- Provided rural health care networks and emergency response providers with investments of more than $6.3 million to improve access to care
- Reinvesting in rural Oklahoma communities by providing more than $17.7 million to counties, municipalities, school districts and nonprofit organizations
- Ensuring the security and longevity of rural Oklahoma’s electric grid with an investment of more than $580 million
- Providing broadband access and improved telecom support to rural Oklahoma communities with an investment of more than $14.7 million
Oklahoman’s can see the individual investments in their respective communities provided by USDA Rural Development by visiting https://www.rd.usda.gov/rural-data-gateway/rural-investments/program-areas.
“These investments highlight how USDA touches the lives of all Oklahomans each day in so many positive ways. Under the Biden-Harris Administration, the shared values of Oklahomans are being honored with critical investments in our rural communities through water and waste water systems, access to healthcare regardless of the zip code, new business opportunities created with updated technology and much needed access to capital and smart investments that protects our natural resources so that many rural families can continue to raise their families on the land and feed their friends and neighbors,” said Corn.
